Electric clock.



No. 678,426. Patented July 16, l90l. E. ROSI &. G. VACOTTI.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 678,426. Patented July I6, 1901.

- E. ROSI & a. VACOTTI.

ELECTRlC GLODK.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FMQE;

'nritionosi, or ARQUAT'A-SORIVIA, AND GIUSEPPE VACOTTI, or

SERBAVALLE-SCRIVIA, ITALY,

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ito-678,426, dated July 16, 1901. Application filed December 19, 1898. Serial No. 699,787. (No model.)

To all 1071 0711, it may concern.-

parts, said mechanism marking seconds or accordingmultiples or fractions of seconds, to the dimensions of the balance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of the apparatus, Fig. 2 being a view of the lower part in which the balance is arranged. Fig. 3 is a detail view; Fig. 4, a vertical section; and Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, with parts removed and parts broken away.

The time divided by the balance is converted into minutes and hours by the escapement-wheel 1 and suitable toothed wheels of ordinary construction.

The clock is driven from one or more cells connected to the coils of an electroniagnet 6 and to an insulated plate 7 and spring 8.

The electric clock or watch comprises a balance-wheel 2, which may be compensated or otherwise provided with a spiral spring 3,,

Fig. 4, connected to its shaft in the usual,

manner, and a shaft cut away at a and provided at its lower end with a disk 14, carrying a small spring-tooth 13, which communicates movement to the escapement-wheel 1, and a small rod 15, fixed to one of thespokes of the balance-wheel, which when at rest engages in the fork or recess of the anchor 4; an anchor 4, provided with a small soft-iron armature 5 at its outer end and a fork, the

shape of which is represented in Figs..1 and 3, at its inner end; :a pair of electromagnetic coils 6 of ordinary construction"; a toothed escapement-wheel 1, which engages with the tooth 13 on the balance-wheel spindle, (on the spindle of this wheel 1 is arranged'a small pinion for the transmission of movement to a series of toothed wheels forming the ordinary movement of a clock or watch for driving the hands;) a small plate '7, insulated from the armature A by a vulcanite base or otherwise, which plate carries the spring 8, which bears against a small red or projection 19 of someinsulatin g mate-rial; a small springpawl 10 engaging with the teeth of the wheel 1, (this pawl closes the circuit by coming in contact with the spring 8 whenever the wheel his moved in consequence of the impulse it received from the balance, the pawl being then pressed back by vthe edge of the tooth into contact with the spring 8, thus completing the electric circuit;) a battery P or batteries having its poles connected with the coils 6 and with the small plate 7, respectively.

The circuit being closed by the pawl 10 coming in contact with the spring 8, the current travels r'romone of the poles of the battery through the coils 6, plate A to the pawl 10,

spring 8, and plate 7 to the other pole of they battery When there is no movement in the clock, the circuit is normally broken, the armature being out of contact with the coil; buta slight impulse given by hand to the balance is sufficient to lift the pawl 10 and bring it in contact with, the spring 8, thereby closing the circuit, whereupon the electromagnets 6 attract the armature 5, imparting an energetic impulse tothe balance by means of the, an

chor l working against the-pin 15. The balance is thus caused to oscillate and the small spring-tooth 13 passes lightly on its movement in one direction over the escapement wheel 1, but'at the return movement, produced by'the force of inertia, the wheel 1 is moved a tooth forward, the circuit is again closed, and the same sequence of actionds repeated.

When the distance between the spring-contact 8 and the pawl has been regulated by means of screw 7, the balance will automatically increase the extent of its oscillations accordinglto the strength of the current and cause the contact between the spring 8 and the pawl 10 to be closed for a more or less long time and maintain the armature 5 in contact with the electromagnet for a more or less long time, so that the clock receives an electric current for longer periods as the bat IOO ' renders it insensible to outside currents.

tery becomes weaker, and this causes uniformity until the battery becomes nearly completely exhausted. v

The special arrangement. of the apparatus Y suitably arranging the parts by which this apparatus is constituted and by increasing or reducing their dimensions very large electric clocks or electric watches can be constructed according to this invention, which can go for at least a year with a very small'driving power as compared to their dimensions.

VVhat-we claim is An electric timepiece comprising an electromagnet adapted to be connected to one pole of a battery, of an escapement-Wheel, a balance-wheel, a spring-tooth carried by the balance-wheel spindle and communicating movement to the esoapement wheel, a pin on the balance-Wheel, a pivoted lever having a soft-iron armature at one end adapted to be attracted by the ele'ctromagnet, and having a cut-away part at the opposite end adapt: ed to be engaged by the pin on the balancewheel, a plate A, an insulated plate thereon, a spring 8 adapted to be connected to the other pole of the battery, carried by the latter plate, and a spring-pawl engaging the teeth of the escapement-wheel and adapted to make contact with the spring 8 when said spring is pressed outwardly by the escapement-wheel each time the latter receives an impulse, and means for varying the distance between the spring-pawl and the spring 8.

In testimony whereof we have hereto set our hands in thepresenee of the two subscribing witnesses.

EMILIO ROSI. 1 GIUSEPPE 'VACOTTI.

Witnesses OSVALDO MAROENARO, ANTONIO DOLIO. 

